More Megaquakes May Strike PRF Anytime
Magnitude 7.9 earthquake strikes southern Sumatra, Indonesia
Magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck southern Sumatra, Indonesia, 50 km (30 miles) WNW of Padang, at a depth of about 85 km on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 10:16 UTC, USGS/EHP reported.
Only hours ago, having briefly analyzed details of the Samoan earthquake, FEWW had foretasted that up to 3 more powerful quakes could strike the Pacific Ring of Fire in 2009.
Four weeks ago a deadly earthquake measuring 7.3 to 7.6 Mw struck off the coast of Java, Indonesia, killing more than 80 people and injuring at least another 1,250.
Tsunami Warning
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (NOAA) has issued a tsunami warning based on the size and location of the earthquake for countries bordering Indian Ocean: Indonesia, India, Thailand and Malaysia.
Damage Report
“People are panicking. They are running out of the buildings… There are many collapsed buildings,” an eye-witness in Padang told a local TV station.
“Hundreds of houses have been damaged along the road. There are some fires, bridges are cut and there is extreme panic here maybe because water pipes are broken and there is flooding in the streets,” another witness told Reuters.
“Hundreds of houses have been damaged along the road,” another eye-witness in Padang said.
“There are some fires, bridges are cut and there is extreme panic here maybe because water pipes are broken and there is flooding in the streets.”
Padang has a population of just under 1,000,000 people. There were no reports of casualties as of posting; however, given that so many buildings have collapsed, it’s more than likely that many people would have been killed or injured.
According to a local report, power and phone lines are down in Pandang and several other parts of Indonesia.
The mainshock was followed by a strong aftershock measuring 6.0 GFZ Potsdam/ Earthquake Bulletin reported. More strong aftershocks are highly probable.
10-degree Map Centered at 0°N,100°E
Earthquake Location Map. Source USGS/EHP
GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin
Region: Southern Sumatra, Indonesia
Time: 2009-09-30 10:16:10.4 UTC
Magnitude: 7.8
Epicenter: 99.87°E 0.80°S
Depth: 84 km
Status: manually revised
Earthquake Details (according to USGS)
- Magnitude: 7.9
- Date-Time:
- Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 10:16:10 UTC
- Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 05:16:10 PM at epicenter
- Location: 0.797°S, 99.925°E
- Depth: 85 km (52.8 miles)
- Region: SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
Distances:- 50 km (30 miles) WNW of Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia
- 225 km (140 miles) SW of Pekanbaru, Sumatra, Indonesia
- 475 km (295 miles) SSW of KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia
- 960 km (600 miles) NW of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
- Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 10.6 km (6.6 miles); depth +/- 16.1 km (10.0 miles)
Parameters: NST= 44, Nph= 44, Dmin=523.2 km, Rmss=1.44 sec, Gp= 47°, M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=7 - Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
- Event ID: us2009mebz
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